Saltwater damaging furnishing?

[seamonkee]

Hey bro, not sure where to post this...

But in any case, my wife-to-be ask me this question which I never seriously thought of.... since we are renovating our new place soon and I am planning a tank...

Besides, spilling on parquet floor and damaging it... does saltwater evaporation actually damage the furnishing in the house?

E.g. cause rusting, molds on walls? etc, etc....

[clowntrigger]

Mould on the wall behind the cupboard or fish tank will strike first if these are all in the room.

From my experience, never ever have buildin furniture made of MDF board touching the floor, you might not know when your fish tank water will flow and touch these furniture. Trust me, it happen to me when my house was flooded overnight from the fish tank and my buildin furniture was damaged by the water as these MDF board absorb water alot. Once they absorb, it will pop up, like a big big blister!!!

Never ever assume that things do not leak.... just take additional precaution...

After that incident, I am still very paranoid when I am sleeping in the night...

[Melvyn Tan]

Hey bro, not sure where to post this...

But in any case, my wife-to-be ask me this question which I never seriously thought of.... since we are renovating our new place soon and I am planning a tank...

Besides, spilling on parquet floor and damaging it... does saltwater evaporation actually damage the furnishing in the house?

E.g. cause rusting, molds on walls? etc, etc....

Hi,

When saltwater evaporate, it will leave behind the salts as they don't evaporate. The only concern is the splashing of the saltwater if yours is inbuilt into the furniture.

2 pence worth

[flubberina13]

Dun put the tank near laminated flooring if you have them. The wood will just 'bloat' up ater some time...

My marble flooring is alright though.

[seamonkee]

Mould on the wall behind the cupboard or fish tank will strike first if these are all in the room.

From my experience, never ever have buildin furniture made of MDF board touching the floor, you might not know when your fish tank water will flow and touch these furniture. Trust me, it happen to me when my house was flooded overnight from the fish tank and my buildin furniture was damaged by the water as these MDF board absorb water alot. Once they absorb, it will pop up, like a big big blister!!!

Never ever assume that things do not leak.... just take additional precaution...

After that incident, I am still very paranoid when I am sleeping in the night...

What are MDF Boards?

What happen if it is a tank cabinet made of chengai wood and water leaks underneath it? How do u people wipe...

As for moulds, ah.... that explains all the white patches on my purple painted wall in my room... never been able to get rid of them... hehe..

[Achilles Tang]

IMO, it will be a mistake to put a tank on Parquet flooring that is liable to not take too kindly to water damage due to spills/floodings.

Maybe it will be slightly more waterproof than laminated wood floorings.... I dunno. But wood and water cannot mix.

I suggest you build a channel/tray around your tank... heheheh....

[BFG]

MDF boards are kinda like compressed wooden chips. Some big speaker housing are made from it. I had a pair that was destroyed when water touched it. My water piping burst and half of the house was flooded including the main hall in which the speaker was placed there. Once it absorbed water, it will 'balloon' from it's original size and won't recover as it has expanded.

[seamonkee]

Okie... my living room flooring is probably terracotta tiles... so no worries...

I am more concern about "saltwater vapours" causing molds on walls and rust metals... if there is such a thing...

I always hear people say that if u have a house near the beach or facing the beach, ur furnishing won't last long... iron will rust and wood will deteriorate...

so was thinking (1) if this principle is true (2) and if so, does it apply to marine tank setting?

Sigh, now my wifey having second thoughts about marine tanks cause new house lah... she's more concern about saltwater vs freshwater...

Otherwise, I have to revert back to african cichlids... the feel is different from marine tank leh...

Oh yeah, one last question... do u guys have to keep a big barrel of stand-by seawater ready all the time or only u prepare it when nearing water change? esp for 4-5 footers? Sorry, because I'm used to keeping nano tanks... this time round, it is big business...

[terryansimon]

my laminated flooring pops if I do not dry a water spill fast enough. =\

[seamonkee]

saltwater vapours leh? does it really cause molds on painted walls or rust metals?

[terryansimon]

it will rust metals as salt water is highly ionized. as for moulds. urh. that I'm not sure.

[Melvyn Tan]

Okie... my living room flooring is probably terracotta tiles... so no worries...

I am more concern about "saltwater vapours" causing molds on walls and rust metals... if there is such a thing...

I always hear people say that if u have a house near the beach or facing the beach, ur furnishing won't last long... iron will rust and wood will deteriorate...

so was thinking (1) if this principle is true (2) and if so, does it apply to marine tank setting?

Sigh, now my wifey having second thoughts about marine tanks cause new house lah... she's more concern about saltwater vs freshwater...

Otherwise, I have to revert back to african cichlids... the feel is different from marine tank leh...

Oh yeah, one last question... do u guys have to keep a big barrel of stand-by seawater ready all the time or only u prepare it when nearing water change? esp for 4-5 footers? Sorry, because I'm used to keeping nano tanks... this time round, it is big business...

MDF = Medium Density Fibreboards (in other words compressed wood board) when soaked with water it'll bloat. The laminate around it is for the purpose of aesthetic + protection. For parquet flooring, it is usually made of teak (local) and it usually have a layer of protection against water and the wooden floor tiles are usually quite cured. If maintenance done adequately it should have no problem. In the UK, traditional houses are on wooden floor boards and joists, and people have been putting up with marine tanks with no problem.

People living near the beach/sea will have salt spray/mist that'll corrode the windows, furnitures etc. which is why people will have to pay somewhat 30-40% higher cost for these items that will resist salt corrosion. Which is why you see lotsa cane products associated with beach living.

With a tank at home there'll be not salt spray nor mist so it will not corrode your furniture. Dun worry ! Try getting some of your salt water and boil it, it'll leave behind the salts what you will be concern is the splashing of the salt water around your lights, cabinets it usually have some salts remnants after the water evaporates.

[seamonkee]

Er... Can anyone help me with this question I posted earlier?

Oh yeah, one last question... do u guys have to keep a big barrel of stand-by seawater ready all the time or only u prepare it when nearing water change? esp for 4-5 footers? Sorry, because I'm used to keeping nano tanks... this time round, it is big business...

[riot]

No leh- no problem with rust and all that.

Make sure it is a well ventilated place. Any area where moisture can build up (inside sump, within hood, walls in these areas) are water proofed with emulsion paint (hope im right here- the shiny type)

[Achilles Tang]

From my experience, there will be a higher level of corrosion on metal fittings around the house. Even my speaker's wire connection is now green. Anything iron is now rusted. I should have used a layer of oil on all such bits to protect them. Thank goodness I use mostly aluminium for my furnishings.

There is no mould on my walls...

I doubt if mould due to humidity will ever be a problem.... unless your house has a consistently MUCH higher level of humidity compared to the surrounding ambient air.

Just move into the coastal areas and it wouldn't matter if you have a marine tank! LOL!

[FuEl]

I live near the coast and everything in my house will eventually rust. Mould will tend to build up in areas of high humidity and poor ventilation. Keep the area well ventilated and no mould will grow.

[Melvyn Tan]

Hi check it out : -

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/chem00/chem00492.htm

Hope this will help in your concerns about salt water damaging your furnitures.

The splashing of some salt water in the aquarium will not be like those

in the sea caused by surf where it'll bring with it salt spray carried by the

wind to homes corroding your furniture etc. Moreover, your tank will come

with a hood or if its inbuilt into a cabinet it'll limit the splashing, unless you

are creating huge waves in the tank

[seamonkee]

Thanks all...

Do u guys have to stand by a big barrel of stand-by seawater ready in the bathroom all the time or only u prepare it when nearing water change? esp for big tanks? Sorry, because I'm used to keeping nano tanks... so only keep one small bucket of salt water for emergencies...

I have to think these thru as it will affect my house layout and designs...

Thanks.